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Create Your Own Journal Part 1 by Nick Roberts

Great to have you along for this exciting post. It’s all about making journals! I hope you will join in with me to create your very own journal from start to finish. Let’s start the journey together. I would love you to share your experiences and photos once your project is complete.

I will show you how to create the cover, pages and little extras that give you the maximum area to decorate. Then all you need to add is your own creativity to make it your own personal treasure. I will share some ideas along the way.

So what is a journal… The list is endless really, but simply it’s your personal place to collect your ideas and observations on any number of things. An art journal is a book kept to store visual and sometimes verbal records of thought and ideas. Whatever you want to fill your journal with, here is a good starting point.

Episode 2: 29th March

Episode 3: 12th April.

In this first post, I will share the basic cover along with the first 4 pages. They are designed to give you as much surface area as possible in a smaller space with lots of hiding places.

For this part you will need:

3 mm Greayboard

Matt Black Cradstock

Strong Black Tape

Tacky Glue

Border Punches or Dies

Corner Rounder

Step 1: Cut your Greyboard to the following measurements:

2 – 20 x 20 cm

2 -20 x 6 cm

1 – 20 x 6.3 cm (Allows for the width of the grey board)

Step 2: Layout your pieces as shown in the photo. You will need to leave a gap equal to the thickness of your board in between each section. Top Tip: Use an off cut to give you the correct spacing, take your time to make sure the parts line up.

Step 3: Secure each section with tape, all of the way around, Lightly bend back and forward. Set thus aside now, It is an opportunity to really think about how you want to decorate the cover. Also depending on how you want to decorate will make a difference to what else you need to do, we will cover that in the final episode.

The Pages:

As I mentioned earlier these are designed to give you the most surfaces possible. Whether you want to decorate with your special patterned papers, add ephemera, items that mean a lot to you, memories. These first 4 pages are the same, but once you add your own spin on them they will look very different.

Step 1: Take a piece of 19 x 21 cm card, we are creating a sleeve page here so score and fold at 1 cm at each end. Take a second piece 19 x 19 cm and secure to the tabs with Tacky glue. This gives you a sleeve measuring 19 x 19. Repeat 3 more times.

Step 2: On the front of this page you are going to create pockets. Take 2 sheets, 12 x 19 cm and 8 x 19 cm. Use a border punch or die to create a decorative edge. Top Tip: At all times make sure your sleeve opening is at the side.

Step 3: Add tacky glue to the larger of the 2 around the 3 sides, secure to your page lining up with the sides and bottom.

Step 4: Repeat step 3 for your smaller pocket. Then repeat for the other 3 pages.

Step 5: You will now create the reverse page. Take one sheet of each 19 x 12 cm and 19 x 9.5 cm. Score and fold the deeper panel at 1 cm and 1.5 cm, this gives you 5 mm for expansion. Score and fold the narrower panel at 1 cm only.

Step 6: Secure the narrower panel with tacky glue at the bottom of this page creating a flap. Use a corner rounder on the open sides.

Step 7: Repeat for the larger flap, securing it at the top of the page. Remember to check that the sleeve opening is facing sideways.

Step 8: Using a piece of card measuring 19 x 10.5 cm, create a pocket as before, securing this behind the bottom flap, level with the base.

Step 9: For the sleeve insert, Use the full length of the A4 X 18.5 cm. Score and fold this at along the A4 length to 17 cm. Insert the larger portion inside the sleeve.

Step 10: Set aside until the next episode on 29th March.

I really hope you are making this along with me, do let me know and how you are getting on and don’t forget I would love to see pictures and have your questions and comments.

For the next Episode, you will need some mini magnets approximately 1 mm thick by 5 or 6 mm.

Wonderful tutorial Nick. The step by step photos and explanation are really good. Definitely useful for a beginner at making journals like I am. Thank you Nick for all the detail you have put into this.